This invention relates generally to stereo microscope periscopes, and more specifically, to an optical axis reorientation device for use with a surgical microscope. Using the optical axis reorientation device described herein enables the orientation of the viewed objects seen with the surgical microscope to be changed without a reorientation of the optical head. Such features allow a user to remain stationary while still providing a 360 degree viewing capability and adjustment in the X-Y plane of viewed objects.
Microscope periscopes have been used for years. At least some known, microscope periscopes include mirrors and prisms that reorient and redirect the optical path of the image to be a fixed distance and a fixed angle from the exit pupil of the microscope objective lens.
One problem associated with conventional microscope periscopes is that they are generally configured for fixed viewing of the optical field from the standard orientation of the microscope. Another problem associated with conventional microscope periscopes is that in order to change the angle of approach to the microscope field, known microscope heads must be tilted, or moved manually in the X-Y plane. However, such movements can be tedious to user of such microscopes. For example, in at least some applications, once the microscope head is moved it is typically required that the user must reposition to use the microscope.
Although conventional microscope periscope devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, such periscope devices may not be suitable for use in surgical applications as the optical head typically has to be reoriented. Specifically, and as mentioned above, one of the main drawbacks to the use of a conventional microscope periscope in a surgical application is that known microscope periscopes are configured for fixed viewing of an optical field from a standard orientation of the microscope. As such, in order to change the angle of approach to the microscope field, the microscope head must be tilted, or moved manually in the X-Y plane. Such adjustments generally require that the user adjust their position to use the microscope.